


Sword Play

by IziziOverslept



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Bottom Eren Yeager, Circus, F/F, F/M, Kinky Eren, Knifeplay, M/M, Multi, Prostitute Eren Yeager, Smart Armin Arlert, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-16 16:57:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18098399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IziziOverslept/pseuds/IziziOverslept
Summary: Circus AU (Riren/Ereri) Only eight chapters Summary is the first chapter - but I'll give a sneak peek for the lazy fucks (<3) who scroll past.--------It was just his luck that a flyer was tacked to the wall next to their warning of eviction notice."COME ONE, COME ALL! to MARIA'S CIRCUS!Now hiring! In order to do so, please meet us at 104th B-"--------I'm not a shitty writer I swear. Please read, kudos, and comment.





	1. Summary

"No, Isabel. I refuse to have you out on the streets!" Levi paced out his frustration. Why does she feel the need to do this, we're scraping along just fine. At least, he felt that way. Isabel started to cry.

"Would it really make a difference?! We're going to end up on streets anyway! I just want to help, but I refuse to steal like you two!" Farlan had his arms crossed in the kitchen, he can hear everything since their living space is so small. Not to mention the huge stack of bills piling up by the door taunted them, but he also disagreed with Isabel selling her body. He sighed, and left.

It was just his luck that a flyer was tacked to the wall next to their warning of eviction notice.

**_"COME ONE, COME ALL! to MARIA'S CIRCUS!_ **  
**_Now hiring! In order to do so, please meet us at 104th B-"_ **

Quickly hauling ass back into the shameful apartment, he interrupted his siblings heated conversation.

"Let's run away. To the circus."


	2. Making the Cut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our thuggy trio leave the Ghettos of Paris to join the circus. Levi is shook. Jean is shook. Isabel wants to tame dolphins.

And there they went. Levi at first was  _pissed_ that Farlan even bothered to suggest something so stupid.

And disgusting.

Was their life so horrible that they wanted to run away to the circus?  _Yes,_ as he had packed his remaining clothing,  _apparently so._ He proceeded to  lift the burlap bag of his belongings towards the door where his younger siblings waited for him. Isabel had dried her face, but her cheeks were still puffy. Farlan was holding both his and Isabel's bags, a sad smile on his face. He really did fight to win Levi over but he eventually understood that the new lifestyle would do them better.

Does this mean he failed them? After their mother died, Levi started looking for work since there was no father figure. He tried looking for work when Farlan was ten, but at the time not a lot of people wanted a small fifteen your old to work for them. Not to mention, Isabel was only nine and too naive. Levi started pickpocketing at sixteen, only starting to teach Farlan the ways when he turned twelve. Izzy stayed home with a gun by her side, just in case the landlord came back demanding his late rent.

"You ready to go?" This was Farlan. But he asked the wrong question. What he should have said was,  _Are you ready to let go?_ Levi looked around one last time at their old living space, the cracks on the walls, the torn couch, and the (despite the circumstances) pristine kitchen.  _The memories that once made this small house a home._

"Yeah."

And with that they left, creeping past their landlords door and into the busying streets of Paris.   
•••••••••••

"I wonder what act I'll be! Ooh, Levi, I always wanted to be a dancer! Do you think they have a position like that in the circus? If not, I think I could be a trapeze artist, or tame  _dolphins-_ "

"Dolphins are already nice, Izzy! Why would you need to tame them?! Plus I don't think this circus is  _that_ magnificent."

The younger siblings were having a blast, sharing their thoughts and opinions with their older brother. He wasn't really into the conversation and always made it a point to ignore them when anyone spoke like this. "It's probably not and Isabel, no trapeze for you. Same goes for you, Farlan."

But he'll speak with them, so far these are the only idiots he can withstand. After the long journey to 104 Barracks Corner Field, they finally saw tents set up in a short distance. Before they can enter the property, they were stopped by a buff blonde and  _holy shit-_ beanstalk of a man. This sweaty man was a fucking giant, and the thought alone made the man a new character in Levi's nightmares. Well he would be, if he actually slept long enough to dream that is.

"No trespassing, the circus isn't open until interviews are over. Come back in a week, kids."

  The blonde did all the talking and his tall friend only stood there, sweating. It wasn't even that hot out, and the fact made Levi's eyebrow twitch from annoyance and disgust. "Look, we're here for your freak show tryouts. And I'm not a fucking kid, now move." The blonde began to glare.

"What'd you say to me, punk?!" He started to flex now, the giant beside muttering words, trying to calm his friend down. Levi sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot more lately.

"Are you so stuffed up with steroids that you're ears are closed? I said,  ** _move_**."

Now Levi probably should be regretting the words that flew out of his mouth, or the punch that knocked his possible future coworker out cold.  _But alas,_ he thought as he ushered his siblings toward the tents,  _some choices you just don't regret._  
••••••••••••••  
The tents were nothing special, and by that nothing normal was happening on the inside. The siblings passed crystal balls, small monkeys in outfits, a multiple people with deformities of all kinds. But they were smiling.

They nearly lost Isabel when they passed a contortionist, her eyes wide in awe of the woman's flexibility. Farlan was nearly lost as well, he got caught up in the man who was practicing his slight of hand tricks.  _I can do that._ Levi wasn't interested in the slightest about what was happening around him, simply dragging the two idiots behind him towards the tent that said "INTERVIEWS" in yellow-gold Carnie lettering.

On the inside it wasn't so bad. The collection of hay on the ground was a tad annoying to Levi but ignored it until he could  _possibly_ score the job. The tent was split into a few parts, seemingly by categories of interest to whatever said individual had. Isabel immediately ran off to where it looked like a woman in a body suit and (Levi cringed)  _shoeless._ Does she fucking know the diseases that she's probably going to contract?! The followed their little sister to the small blonde woman who stopped her conversation from someone else to introduce herself.

"Just one moment," she turned to Isabel, "Well hello, I'm Historia! My stage name is Krista the  _Twista_ and believe me I hate it as much as the next gal. So, I can assume you're here to become a contortionist?" Her voice was soft and Levi could already see the men falling at her feet when she bat her eyes.

Good thing he's gay.

Isabel only nodded in excitement, "Yes please! I'd like to believe that I have what it takes!" Historia smiled and led her to a mat. "Alright, follow my stretches if you can. When you feel it's too much, please tell me. This all takes time, so don't push yourself." Their sister nodded and took off her worn shoes. (Levi:  _Please don't join her in that filth. I haven't located a shower yet.)_ The two brothers were impressed to find out that their sister could already do a split, handstand, and a bridge. She only could do so much and stopped Historia from showing her anything else after a few more exercises.

"You actually did very well for a first timer! How old are you?"

"Thank you! I'm thirteen." At this, Historia's smile fell.  _Was there an age requirement?_

"Ah, I'm sorry but I can't give you the position," Farlan stepped forward, ready to comfort his sister.

"Unfortunately, in order to preform acts of our level, you must be at least seventeen. But! I can offer you a position as an apprentice? You'd still be learning to be a contortionist but you would never preform." Isabel jumped and hugged Historia, multiple words of gratitude slipping from her lips.   
••••••••••••••

Next was Farlan, who's tryout was pretty simple. All he had to do was try and obtain certain items from select individuals that the freckled woman before him asked for. In addition, already having the skill of pickpocketing down for two years was a great help. The woman, Ymir, pulled all three of them to the side and glared.

"You were a thief, huh?" She then turned her bronze gaze to Levi, "And you probably taught him." Levi immediately got on the defensive and stepped in front of his siblings, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, and just how would you know?" The answer he received wasn't one he expected, but didn't let the shock show on his face.

"It takes one to know one." She smirked and further continued to tell Farlan that he got the spot, only to lower him down a title because of his age. Now that both of his siblings had a spot (or were now apprentices), Levi had to find where he most fit.

Lion tamer?  _No._

Trapeze?

Looking at the section of the tent, a ginger haired woman winked at him.

_Fuck no._

And in a small little corner in the back, he would have almost missed it.

Weaponry _?_

On the table beside the stand lay an assortment of knives, guns, needles, and fire wielding tools. If he didn't know any better, it almost seemed the stand was a prop shop for a seriously fucked up porno.

So you  _do_ understand why Levi walked over there, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm ending here. How's that for a first official chapter? I hope I made it long enough🤕


	3. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favorite horse eating his own words and Levi being a badass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a mid-midlife crisis.

Making his way over, the attendant at the stand was a man who looked to be around the same age as him. The guy had hair that was dyed  _horribly_ and his face kind of looked like an ass in Levi's opinion. And by ass, he meant horse.

The attendant introduced himself as Jean, and felt the need to spell it out for the siblings. He was obviously French, but his accent wasn't as thick as a local Frenchman, leading the three to believe he had dropped it over the years.

"Alright, are you old enough to wield objects like these? You look, erm, too young for this." Jean snickered behind his hand, his grin dropping instantly when Levi sent him a glare. "Oh, never mind. Just pick your poison and show me what you can do." Jean stepped back and gestured toward the table. What caught his eye was a simple kitchen knives, which looked out of place among the other ghastly tools.

They were simple, but sharp. Each handle would shine under the lights and the steel of the blades were just winking at Levi. Drowning in his urges, he picked set of knives up with interest and weighted each in his hands. "These."

Jean raised one eyebrow, "Okay, now what are you going to do?" Levi started to play with one of the blades, and briefly glanced the environment. He spotted a wooden table with fruits on them. Smirking, he told Isabel and Farlan to pick a few but not to eat them. They were confused, what was their big brother going to do? But they listened, and gathered pineapples, oranges, apples, and more.

Jean raised a brown eyebrow and started tapping his foot. "What, are you gonna' chop fruit?"

His siblings came back and before they could come any closer, Levi told them to stand to the side while he propped the table up. Now, he stood across from the lifted table and his siblings across from Jean. He looked at the horse-faced carnie before taking a stance.

"Yeah." He then took a few gentle breaths, and told his siblings to toss the fruit.

Time slowed for Levi, he felt like he was a criminal again. Not the simple pickpocketing thief he became, but the criminal that was hired for odd jobs once upon a time. His blades felt like an extension of himself as he released them with amazing accuracy.

He felt accomplished with the pineapple that was stuck to the table with one of the knives embedded deep into the wood. The same went for the apples and oranges. Jean blinked rapidly but regained his composure. "That was good, but those are  _reasonably_ large fruit. If anyone can throw a knife, then anyone can hit them."

_This asshole._

"Tch, Farlan. Hold out the kiwi, but don't throw it." Levi knew he could hit the kiwi, but the possibility of hitting his brother was probable.

"Levi, I don't know if I can do that. U-um, we don't have to stay here, we can live somewhere else! Even under a brid-"

Levi quickly crossed over to where his brother was grasping the kiwi, bringing him into an embrace. "I'd never hurt you, Mom said to protect the both of you and I'll be damned if I'm the one to caused any of you pain.  _I promise._ So trust me, and hold out the fucking kiwi." He only whispered this to his siblings, the asshole didn't need to hear shit. Farlan nodded and relaxed in his hold.

Levi stepped away and went back a fair distance and mentally prepared himself. From where he was, the kiwi could have been mistaken for mouse shit. He could see Farlan breathing heavily, and he mouthed 'do it' before closing his blue eyes. Isabel was crossing her fingers, and the carnie watching them was fucking shaking his head.

Levi pulled back, and released his final knife. It flipped multiple times, the sound of it slicing through the stale air was the only sound Levi could hear. And finally, he watched as the knife penetrate the damned fruit and continue to hurtle into the wooden table behind his brother.

He did it.

Izzy started clapping, and Farlan licked the kiwi juice that remained on his hand, smiling when he caught his older brother's concerned glance.

He did it.

Jean pursed his lips and finally grinned. "Wow! I didn't think that would play out right, but  _fuck me_  you're going places! How old are you?" Levi didn't hear his siblings respond for him, or acknowledge Jean when he said he's old enough to preform live without training. He just knew one thing.

_He fucking did it._

**Author's Note:**

> It is short on purpose kids. Keep going, the chapters get longer, I can promise that.


End file.
